


Welcome to the Club

by Wonderlandleighleigh



Series: Boarding School Buddies [17]
Category: Batman (Comics), Castle, Gilmore Girls, Iron Man (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Weird Crossovers are my life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-15
Updated: 2013-05-15
Packaged: 2017-12-12 00:02:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/804786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wonderlandleighleigh/pseuds/Wonderlandleighleigh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kate meets Rick's childhood friends and their significant others.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcome to the Club

She shouldn’t feel nervous, but she does.

These people are so important to him. These people have known him for so long, know him so well. They love him dearly. They’re family to him, the way Javi and Ryan and Lanie are family to her.

And it’s not that Castle hasn’t been folded into that family. Of course he has, he was just late to the party.

Like she’s late to this one. Stupid paperwork. She adjusts her heels and takes a deep breath, trying to raise her confidence as she steps into the restaurant that is, on most days, impossible to get a reservation at, if you’re not two of the most powerful men on earth, and one of said planet’s most popular writers.

It’s easy to spot the table. Seven people sitting around it, laughing and making merry.

Castle spots her first and gets to his feet. “Kate! There you are!”

“I’m so sorry, I got stuck at the precinct,” she tells him, and he silences her with a brief but enthusiastic kiss.

“No worries, we’ve barely made a dent in dinner rolls,” he smiles, and pulls her closer. “Everyone, this is Detective Kate Beckett, my lovely girlfriend. Kate, I’d like you to meet Bruce and Selina, Lorelai and Luke and Tony and Pepper.”

They all greet her politely, and in Lorelai and Pepper’s cases, very warmly. Tony Stark looks her up and down critically, and Bruce looks at her face appraisingly. Luke just looks awkward and out of place here, and Selina looks right at home, if a little wary now that Kate is here.

As she should. She’s an ex-con, and Kate’s a cop.

Rick pulls a chair out for her and she sits, grinning at the people around her.

“Don’t look so tense, Selina, the detective is off the clock,” Tony teases.

Selina rolls her eyes. “I’m no the only one at this t able who should hope so. You’re the one with a DUI or two under your belt.”

“They were tiny,” Tony says, lifting his fingers to illustrate. “They were teeny tiny DUI’s, barely anything! I had barely left my driveway.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Rick grins at Kate. “I’ve had to post bale more than once.”

“Yes, but you didn’t have to post bale for me in Guatemala,” Tony says.

“We’re not talking about that,” Bruce says quickly. “Ever.”

“Have I heard this story?” Selina asks, turning to him.

“I have,” Luke raises a hand. “I remember when it happened, because I had to watch Rory while Lorelai flew with Rick to Guatemala to help get you out of Guatemalan jail.”

Kate laughs a little. “What did you do?”

Bruce shakes his head. “Didn’t I just say we’re not talking about this?”

“No one listens to you,” Tony tells him.

“Clearly.”

Pepper grins. “Sorry Bruce. You win for most epic jail story.” 

He sighs. “So. Kate. You’re a police officer.”

“I am,” Kate nods. “And you’re an internationally notorious billionaire playboy philanthropist.”

“I’m way more notorious than he is,” Tony cuts in. “I would just like to make that clear. Way more notorious.”

“I think you’re both pretty well-known,” Pepper says. “For very, very different things.”

“I’m still more notorious,” Tony says.

“Why is this a thing?” Rick asks. “You’re both equally crazy and equally wealthy.”

“I have more money,” Bruce says matter-of-factly, sipping his water.

“You do not,” Tony snaps. “You take that back, it’s not true.”

Kate grins and leans in to Rick, her voice low. “Is this normal?”

Rick nods, grinning too, clearly having fun. “Yep. They’re always like this.”

A dinner roll flies across the table then, hitting Tony square in the forehead, and he’s silenced.

Luke pinches the bridge of his nose. “Really, Lorelai? You had to do that?”

“Yes, I did,” she says slyly. “I just can’t believe it worked.”

Pepper blinks. “Neither can I.” 

The waiter walks over, looking both intimidated and irritated at them. “Is everyone ready to order?”

“Oh! Me!” Lorelai says. “I am! Me!”

“We are,” Bruce grins.

The waiter gives him an awkward smile, and takes their orders, from steaks to salads to another round of drinks, and a basket of incredibly fancy sounding cheese sticks. 

“So Kate!” Tony cries, setting his drink down after taking a long sip. “You solve murders!” 

She smiles, a little amused. “I do. I work NYPD homicide as a detective.” 

“That must be thrilling,” Pepper says. 

“Probably not quite as thrilling as being Iron Man, but it has its days,” she admits. “It’s rewarding.” 

“Kate’s the best cop in the city,” Rick boasts, grinning at her. 

“I just do my job,” Kate says, feeling a little embarrassed by the attention. 

“I’ve heard you do it extremely well,” Bruce says. “The mayor talked all about Detective Beckett and Rick Castle as a murder-solving duo for the ages at lunch today.” 

Kate smiles a little. “Well, that’s very kind. My life has certainly gotten more interested since Castle wheedled his way into it.”

“Wheedled?!” Rick scoffs playfully. “Do you all see what I put up with?” 

“Yes you’re so abused,” Lorelai teases.

“Aren’t we all,” Bruce grins a little.  
Kate watches him closely as she sips her wine. He seems so much different than the smiling, charming playboy that pops up in the tabloids and as gossip show fodder. He seems relaxed, and quiet. There’s intelligence there that Kate assumed he’d be lacking from everything she’s read and seen. 

Then again…Guatemalan prison.

Lorelai’s eyes light up as the waiter puts the basket of cheese sticks down, and Luke shakes his head. “Please excuse Lorelai. Her brain short circuits when fried food is placed anywhere near her. 

“Like we aren’t used to it,” Rick says. “When we were kids, she spent most of her parents’ dinner parties sneaking food.” 

“And stuffing her dresser drawers with candy,” Tony adds. 

“The candy was a stroke of genius,” Lorelai tells them. “And you know it.” 

“It was pretty clever,” Bruce grins. “Lorelai would fill entire drawers with tootsie rolls.” 

“What was under the tootsie rolls?” Kate grins. 

Lorelai waves a playful hand and grins back. “This and that. Porn. Cigarettes. Illegal arms.” 

“Mostly she hid more candy,” Rick says. 

“And the occasional bottle of rum,” Tony adds. “And cigarettes. That was true.” 

Pepper wrinkles her nose and looks at Tony. “You smoked?” 

“Three out of four,” Tony says. “Bruce wouldn’t touch the stuff.” 

“Not true!” Rick says. “Not true, he did try one like…right after Maria and Howard died. And then he threw up.” 

Selina laughs and looks at him. “You? You threw up from a cigarette?” 

Bruce huffs. “I had a weak stomach.” 

“I’ll say,” Luke mutters. 

“Please, like you could do better,” Lorelai says. “This one lives on salads and somehow survives without coffee.” 

A collective gasp could be heard throughout the restaurant from their table.

“How?!” Pepper cries with a laugh. “How do you do that?!” 

“If I could hook a coffee IV up to my arm, I would,” Tony adds. 

“Even I can’t live without coffee,” Bruce says, grinning a little.

“That’s how Beckett and I fell in love,” Rick reminisces. “Coffee.” 

Kate wrinkles her nose and gives him an exasperated grin. What a goofball. 

“I just don’t need it,” Luke says. “Caffeine’s bad for you.” 

“Those are the best kinds of things,” Selina smirks. “The ones that are bad for you.” 

“Stunts your growth.” 

“You see what I put up with?” Lorelai pouts. “He’s a freak.” 

“And yet, you still date him,” Pepper points out with a grin.

“Well, it helps that I’m kind of a freak too,” Lorelai smiles. 

“Aren’t we all,” Rick says. He takes Kate’s hand under the table and she can’t help grinning.

***** 

Dinner wraps up, and they find themselves walking toward Broadway, while a couple of lone paparazzi snap photos and follow along. Nobody’s had enough to get drunk, but they’re all feeling a little lightheaded anyways. 

Kate walks alongside Lorelai in companionable silence while Rick talks to Bruce animatedly and Luke and Pepper watch Tony and Selina’s verbal spar. 

She turns to Lorelai then, feeling a little awkward. “So you and Castle, you never…”

Lorelai looks at her. “Who, me and Rogers? God, no.” She laughs a little. “No way. Rick and I are way too alike to ever make that happen. That’d be like dating my brother. We even look alike.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked,” Kate says. “I…I just wonder. You know?” 

Lorelai smiles at her. 

“This is a little strange for me,” Kate says. “I’ve known Castle for years, but now that we’re dating, I’m becoming a real part of his life. And he’s becoming apart of mine. It’s still new.” 

Lorelai nods. “Well, you passed the friend test. So you should feel proud. His last two wives failed it.” 

Kate gives her a confused look. 

“Neither Meredith nor Gina could get through dinner with this group without getting mad and storming out,” Lorelai tells her. 

Kate laughs a little. “Let me guess: Tony.” 

“Got it in one,” Lorelai nods with a smile. “Not that Bruce helped. Or me. We were a little…mean. Nicer to Gina than Meredith but still not kind.” 

“Oh, to be a fly on the wall for that first dinner with Meredith.” 

“It was bad,” Lorelai admits. “Really bad. Rick didn’t speak to any of us for a month, he was so mad. But you’re different. You know, all three of them have this terrible habit of putting on a shiny veneer for people. Bruce literally removes his entire brain and just acts like a total ditz. And Tony will prove to you that he is everything the papers make him out to be, and Rick…just hides behind this wall of flirty silliness. It’s tough to get around the weird facades they put up.” 

“What about you?” Kate asks. 

“I’m just me,” Lorelai shrugs. “I always have been. Much to my mother’s everlasting embarrassment. I can’t turn it off and on like they can. I’m just me and that’s what you get every single time, no matter who you are. I feel like maybe you and I…and Pepper and Selina and Luke. I feel like we’re all alike that way.” 

“I can see that.” 

Tony, Rick and Bruce have gravitated toward each other and are talking quietly, while Selina, Pepper and Luke fall back to walk with Kate and Lorelai. 

“Clearly, they’re planning world domination again,” Pepper jokes. 

“Oh please, if it was going to happen, it would have happened years ago,” Selina snorts. 

“I’ll go check,” Lorelai says, dashing up in her heels to catch up with them. 

Kate watches them, and Pepper nudges her. 

“Welcome to the club,” the redhead tells her with a grin.

Kate smiles. “Thanks.”


End file.
